Published at 11:08, Thursday, 07 April 2011

CUMBRIA Wildlife Trust has secured funding from The Heritage Lottery Fund for its latest project, High Fell – The Cumbria Landscape Story.

The funding means the trust can launch this oral history project that will record memories of how the fells have changed since World War Two.

The memories and stories of individuals who have lived and worked in the Lakes for 50 to 60 years will be recorded by local volunteers, preserving it for future generations.

The trust will also be able to show how dramatically our landscape of the high fells and its biodiversity has changed through the decades.

Neil Harnott, senior conservation officer, said: “The effects of these changes on the landscape and its people have gone largely unrecorded so this project will seek to redress the balance as well as offer volunteers the opportunity to learn new skills in interviewing, recording and archiving.”

The interviews with those who have decades of memories and stories on the county's landscape and wildlife, will be interpreted in a podcast and interactive website. The podcasts will also accompany a series of walks around the central fells.

An exhibition of the findings will also be displayed around the county, promoting accessibility for all and ensuring those who can't go on the walks also have an opportunity to learn more about Cumbria's high fells and the changes in its management and biodiversity.

The project is due to start this month and will run for 12 months.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk